STILL a bone of contention for some Penangites where traffic and transport management is concerned, Rapid Penang’s entry into the state in 2007 has been a boon. It has resulted in, among others, a more efficient bus system, wider route coverage, disable-friendly facilities, wi-fi connections, real-time arrival tracking, cleaner interior and bigger seats in new buses, etc. In short, the crumbling “ancient” bus system of the state has been replaced by a modern one.

For more information on Rapid Penang, visit their website here. For a short but accurate description of the previous ailing system, read the following extract from a blog:

“In the olden days, much has been said about Penang's ailing bus services. What was once a workable and rather efficient system became dysfunctional when mini buses started operating in Penang. To make the situation worse, the mini buses which were supposed to ease the burden of the larger coaches turned into traffic chaos and started competing with the established bus operators.

“Things came to a standstill when one of Penang's largest and best known bus companies, the Yellow Bus Company Berhad, which had been operating for 58 years, suddenly stopped running on 1 January 2004, leaving thousands of southbound commuters stranded. An attempt by the local government at revamping the bus system, on 1 April 2006, sounded promising -- bigger buses serviced "trunk" routes while minibuses ran "feeder" routes, but the reality proved otherwise.

“Chaos reigned from Day One. There were no legible schedules and no helpdesks at the main bus interchange. Most bus companies adopted a laissez faire system, raising the rates, doing away with the ticketing system and not following timetables and planned routes. And these problems were just the tip of the iceberg! and a ticking bomb!” (Penang Vacations)

Rapid Penang was funded by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and is a subsidiary of Syarikat Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL). This is the second public transport operating company set up by the Malaysian government. The first was RapidKL which was set up in 2004 to take over light rail transit operations and a large portion of the bus network in Kuala Lumpur.

Also, read here for a report from the working group that make up the Penang Forum on transport.

References

• Rapid Penang! The new Rapid Service in Penang (Penang Vacations)

Related links

• Rapid Penang launches real-time bus arrival system (Star Online, 15.07.10)
• Rapid Penang Bus Routes (Penang Travel Tips)
• Rapid Penang bus service (Peter Phun, 04.10.08)
  

Click through pictures for slideshow.

YAP CHIN TENG (right) takes half a minute, with smoothly-executed steps, to open a durian (see slideshow below). After that, much of his clientele savour the fruit at a coffeeshop across his stall which, incidentally, is home to one of two famous laksa stalls in Balik Pulau.

The 72-year-old has been selling fruits at a strategic corner beside the old Pasar for over 20 years. Although he has been allocated a space in the spanking new market a short ride away, Yap is reluctant to move there. “I am old and it is too much of an effort”, he said. Besides his is a place regulars know and have been coming by for years. 

LOCATED between Jalan Air Itam and Jalan York is Dhobi Ghaut, a settlement of traditional Indian laundry cleaning service providers. Ghaut, derived from the Hindi word ghat, refers to a series of steps leading down to a body of water. In this instance, the body of water would be the Sungai Air Terjun.

The traditional Indian laundry cleaning service providers who have been operating there for more than 100 years still employ techniques utilised by the original dhoby men. The laundry, first soaked in sudsy water, is then thrashed on a flogging stone. Depending on the nature of the laundry, starch is used and finally pressed using charcoal irons. Piled into neat bundles, wrapped with swaths of white cloth, the laundry is then delivered to the doorstep. Many of the dhoby men still operate within old wooden structures that may have very well been from generations ago.

Locally known as Vannan Thora Tedal, which literally means the laundry district in Tamil, Dhobi Ghaut is also one of the “earliest settlements of Tamils in Penang. A washerwoman made a good life out of washing clothes for the British and was later prosperous enough to be called Rani Dhobi (Queen of Dhobis). She built the Rama Temple that now stands at Dhoby Ghatt.” (Penang Story Project).